[bars] Shack Grounding

[Geoffrey Feldman]

I will also add that when lightning strikes and approaches the surface,
water, or earth, it goes out laterally, radially, and close to the surface.
Voltages can be lethal or harmful for a considerable radius from the strike
point.  This is why it's important for ground rods to be long and deep into
the earth.   This conducts the energy away from the surface.   We think of
lightning as massive power and focused in nature.  However enough voltage
can find its way a good distance from the strike point enough to cause
fires, electrocution and surely to damage radio gear.  Eight foot ground
rods (for insurance reasons as well) should be the type sold at hardware
stores for this purpose and with connectors that also are to electrical
code.  They should go straight down or very nearly so.

 

One thing I see with many hams is a copper plate on the side of the house
where antennas connect.  The plate is well grounded, and there is also a
lightning arrester outside.  Inside the house, the feedlines are
disconnected from the inside side of the plate and left on the floor or some
distance from the connectors while the shack is not operating.  A master
switch for the shack is also a good idea.  

 

Bonding also matters to keep everything at the same potential.  Yes, this is
also covered in the ARRL books and it's a very good idea to read it all and
come to a PERSONAL understanding and conviction.  The bonding should be flat
conductors too.   It's your house, your gear, your family.  Nobody will
admit to giving you incomplete or bad advice if there is a problem.

 

-73-

W1GCF

Geoff

 

From: bars [mailto:bars-bounces at w1hh.org] On Behalf Of wo1n
Sent: Saturday, April 9, 2022 2:59 PM
To: 'Robert Montgomery'; BARS Reflector
Subject: Re: [bars] Shack Grounding

 

The havoc gets reeked when the different systems assume different voltage
levels because they are not bonded together sufficiently. Your plan has some
merit. But you haven't talked about what your antenna system is, how the
feedlines are terminated etc.

 

And from what I have seen for houses in this area, nobody (read telco, cable
and power) give a damn about grounding and bonding to the book (NEC). Either
they are lazy and incompetent or it's just not a huge problem for this area.

 

Having said that, an 80' pine tree in my neighbor's yard, probably 150' from
my house and 50' from some of my wire antenna took a direct strike a few
years back. Took out the pine and a 50' Oak right next to the pine tree. All
of my ham gear survived. About $500 of cable, networking and PCs did not.
All the damage seems to have entered in through the cable system but I would
be hard pressed to prove that. Hardwire ethernet ports took the brunt of it.

 

Check out the Grounding and Bonding for Amateur Radio reference the league
offers for better guidance.

 

73,

 

Ken - WO1N

Typed while a pretty decent thunderstorm rumbles outside my windows.

 

From: bars <bars-bounces at w1hh.org> On Behalf Of Robert Montgomery
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2022 6:46 PM
To: bars at w1hh.org
Subject: [bars] Shack Grounding

 

Good evening everyone,

 

New ham here and I'm in the process of grounding my shack and have a few
questions.

I've already grounded everything in my shack to a copper bar with the
braided straps.

 

I do not have an outside electrical service ground.

The ground wire goes inside and terminates in the electrical panel.

Coming out of the electrical panel I have a 6 gauge grounding wire which
connects to my incoming copper water line from the street.

 

The electrical panel is 10' closer to my shack setup than the water pipe.

Since the grounding wire connected to the water line goes directly into the
electrical panel, my plan was to connect my inside shack ground to the
electrical panel.

 

My only thought is that if I do take an indirect lightning strike, if the
wire goes to the electrical panel, could reek some havoc in panel or would
it be smarter to go directly to the water pipe.

Would love to hear everyone thoughts on this.

Thanks in advance.

 

Rob

KC1QKU

 

 

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